Quick detachable fastening means



June 22,V 1965 L. R. SULLIVAN 3,190,168

QUIGK DETACHABLE FASTENING MEANS originalvFile'd Jan. 25. 1960 t' 3,190,168 Ice Y 1 'Patented June 22, 1965 3,190,168 i QUICK DETACHABLE fFASTENING Leonard Ray Sullivan, l911 Kenwood St., Burbank, Calif.

" ZClaims. (Cl.85-7) This application is aV division of my prior application, Serial No. 4,495, tiled January 25, 1960, now abandoned.

This invention relates t-o quick detachable fastening devices comprising a cylindrical bolt or stud component and a complementary kremovable surrounding p collar means including a selfcontained latch vdevice operable by relative rotative movement-of components of the said collar means to effect latching engagementV and disengagement between it and .the` studV or bolt component. For the sake of simplified `terminology hereinafter, the stud or bolt component will be called the bolt, disregarding .the absence of threads, `and the associated collar means including :the self-contained latching devices to be described will be referred to as the collarf The principal Yobject of the `invention is to provide a detachable fastening means comprising a cylindrical bolt having a plurality of latch means receiving areas of lesser radial dimension ,than the cylindrical surface of the bolt and an encircling collar device including a latch means operated by relative rotative movement between elements comprising said collar and resultant actuation of the latch means either to enter said latch means receiving areas on the bolt or to be released from such latchingenga'gement to permit relative axial movement between the collar and bolt as in, for example, attachment and separation of the said components.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastening means of the type referred to in the' foregoing prin- Y l of latches may be operated with respect to a plurality of latch receiving areas on the bolt in the manner of a combination lock. A

A still fur-ther object of the invention is to provide a fastening means such as set forth in any of the foregoing objectives in which the" component part-s are of simple construction, are readily assembled, and are simple and reliable in operation.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such additional objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts, and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts described, by way of example, in the following specification `of certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention, reference being had .to the accompanying drawings which form a part of said specification and in which drawings: Y

lFIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a bolt and collar means mounted thereon in which the collar means comprises a plurali-ty of latching devices operated by rotatably l moving collars mounted on the baseV element of the collar means and in which the latch operating means are numbered relatively to each other and to graduationsV on the base element as shown in FIG. 2 to effect a combination type of lock,

iFIG. 2 is a right hand elevational vie-w of the base member of the form of the device shown in FIG., 1, Y Y

FIG. 3 is an end elevational View taken on the lineY 3 3 of the left hand end of FIG. l, Y j Y FIGS. 4 and 5 are transverse medial sectional views taken on .the line 4 4 of FIG. 3 and showing the device in locked and unlockedpositions, respectively, and

FIGS, 6 and 7-areviews taken, respectively, on the lines 6 6 and 7 7 of FIG. 1 and showing'one of the locking rings in latch releasing position and 'other of the rings in latch engaging position. Y

ReferringA to the drawings, there is shown an embodiment lof the invention in which the shank of the bolt 1c is provided with closely spaced, parallel ball receiving grooves 4d and 4e. The base member 5b is provided with an internal bolt receiving bore 6 andthe body thereof is providedrwith a, iirst ball receiving, hole 28 adapted to hold a ball 29 for engagement with .the groove 4d and is Vfurther provided with a second radially extend- Ving hole 30 for asecond ballr3 1 adapted to'engagev the groove 4e. v

Rotatably mounted on the Vexterior of the base member 5b is a ring32 having an internal` notch 33 ,formed therein and adapted to serve, when aligned, as an eXtension of Ithe bore 28 to afford clearance for the ball'to move radially outward and out of the groove 4b` as best shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. Also rotatably mounted on the exteriorV of the body memberSb adjacent to the ring 32 is a second rotatable ring 34 similarly having a clearance notch 35 formed on the inner periphery thereof Vand similarly aiording Clearance for the ball 31. TheV inner ends of theholes or bores 28 and 30 are similarly Vreduced in diameter toserve as retaining means for the respective balls mountedi therein. The outer end of the basemember 5b is provided lwith a head flange member 36 against which one side of the ring 32 engages.' fThe opposite end of Ithe base member 5b carries a reduced diameter hub 37 provided with a peripheral groove 38 in which a spring washer 39 is seated, saidwasher extending upwardly in a series of linger portions 40v and engaging a washer 41 which, in turn, contacts the end face of the ring 34 which is adjacent thereto. The spring 39 tends to yieldingly hold the rings 32 and 34 yieldingly p against each other and against the under face of the head 36. The said under face of the ,head 36 is provided with a a` series` of indentations142 and the confronting face of the ring 34 is similarlyprovided with a series of a radially spaced indentations 43. At onepoint in itsdiameter, the ring 32 is provided with a Vpin44 extending therethrough and the ends of Vthis pin form Voutward projections adapted to engage 'the ndentations in .-the confronting faces of .the ring 34 and the head 36 so that a ratcheting eiect is attained.

The outer end face of the head portion 36 of Ithe base member 5b is provided with a series of radially spaced numbers and corresponding indicia lines as indicated at 45 and .the rings 32 and 34 are similarly provided with a series of spaced numbers and registering lines as shown :at 46 and'47. For different assemblies, the relationship between the ball receiving notches 33 and 35 would be differently arranged with respect to the various numbers and also the holes 28 and 30 in the base member 5b would be differently arranged with respect to the num-` bers on the outer end thereof. It will be obvious that while as here shown, these holes are in thersame line parallel tothe axis of the bore therein, they need not beV Y12 on the ring 32 and ythe number 3 -on the ring 34 in alignment, the device is in position to be placed on .the bolt or removed therefrom. In any other rotative position of one or the other or of both of the rings relacome within the purview .tive toV the basel member, .the device either'cannot be put on the Ybolt or if it is on the bolt, it cannot be re-V moved. f Y Y t yIt Willfurtherrfbe obvious that while only two-operating rings are shown, there are three setsro'f., twelve nu-V meralsY each which would give a totalY of,1,728-possible combinations. Ifthe numbers on these frings were increased to, say, 2O each, the'possible combinations would Thus, there has `been created la fastening `'device in which one or more balls are positivelymoved Aradially inwardly intoY engagement with a groove in Ya, boltor stud component and are released to. be freely movable out of thatgroove to permitV relative endwisey movement between the stud or bolt and the locking device thereon;

theV locking and release of the 'balls being achieved by relative rotary motion in predetermined increments be-` are contained. A .l

While in the'foregoing speciiication, therehasbeen disclosed a presently preferred embodiment of-the'invene tion,-it will bezappreciatedthatfsuchdisclosure is by yway, of exampler only andV that the invention is rnot to be deemedto be limited to the exact forms thereof thus l disclosed by` Iway of example.V Accordingly,itwi1l beA understood .that the invention extends as well to allY such changes and modicationsin the partsyandinthe conr tween thecomponents of the collar ,withinwhich they t structiomcornbination and arrangement of parts, as shall Y of the appended claims. .Y

I'claimsf I x Y 1. InV a'quick detachable fastener, Ya bolt having a rst and a second peripheral groove spaced ,axiallyoff4 yeach other and a collar component attachable; to and detachable from said boltvby interlocking `engagement with and Vrelease `from said grooves; said collar compo-V nentV comprisingY a cylindrical base 4member having an axially. disposed bolt receiving 'bore extending 'there-V through, a radially outwardly extendingange at one'endv f said depressionsare formed 'respectively inthe. faces Vof said ange andsaid second ring and in `v'vhicha'pinL extends .through said rst .ring parallel to'theaxial line u thereofwiththe ends of said pin projecting'beyond the i thereof and anV extern-alvcylindrical bearing surfacerradjacentto said ange, a `rstalocking V,memberretaining and guiding.openingextending Lfrom said bearing sur;

' vface toV said bore adjacent to said flange, .saidgopening terminating insaid bore in a reduceddiameter portion,

a 4irst, locking member disposed in -said lflrstropeniing and adapted toproject into said bore suicientlyto engagey said 4first .groove on said bolt, means for-,causing -said locking membertoeffect locking engagement Vwith said groove including 4a ringrmounted for rotation on said bearing surface; on said base member and having means n for effecting movement of said locking memberinto'lock-y ing engagement `or to be released from such-engage# ment andkfurther havingqanend faoe'engaging a complementary face of said ange, a second opening in said bearing surface spaced axially from said 1first opening at the same distance as said-'groiovesfin said ,bolt are' Y spaced from each other, a second locking member in, said second opening and a second rotatable ring mount-v ed for rotation on said bearingsurface and having simi- Y lar means for eectingfengagement and releaseof said` second locking member with said secondV groove and. having an Vend face engaging the` endface of 'said rst` ring `opposite the Yface thereof engaging said flangejspring means for -holding said rings and saidrcollar component` in engagement with each other and `.with said ange with. capacity for limited axial movement and comprising a` spring :washer mounted on .the end of Vsaid collar componentat .the en d thereof V,remotevfrom' said flange,y and having .a plurality of generally radially outwardly ex tending fingers terminating in'ends displaced toward said Ltlange and engaging the face-of saidsecond ring remote from said first ring with resultant creation of capacity for Alimited Laxial movementV ofV said rings against the" *bias of said spring fingers,VV and ratchet means operated by said bias of said spring washer for displaceablyref-z taining said rings in predetermined increments ofrn'ove-f` c ment relative toV each other and to saidlflange compris-4 ing airstratchet meansronxthe juxtaposed faces of said tirst ring and 'said ang'e, amsecond ratchet'means on the juxtaposed faces of saidgiirrst and second rings, each of said rst and lsecond ratchetmeans comprising a plu ralityrrof circumferentially spaced Vdepressions formed in oneI-of ythe juxtaposed facesY and at least one'protuberance on theother juxtaposed face engageable selectively with said plurality of depressions on .the other juxtaposed face under the influence of ksaid spring means.

2. A fastening device as Yclaimed 'n claim 1 which opposite facesof 'said' first ring to Vform said protuberances.

c. References Cited bythe Examiner; j

UNITED STATES PATENTS.

183,930 Y c CARL w. TOM/LIN, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD C." ALLEN, Examiner. 

1. IN A QUICK DETACHABLE FASTENER, A BOLT HAVING A FIRST AND A SECOND PERIPHERAL GROOVE SPACED AXIALL OF EACH OTHER AND A COLLAR COMPONENT ATTACHABLE TO AND DETACHABLE FROM SAID BOLT BY INTERLOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH AND RELEASE FROM SAID GROOVES; SAID COLLAR COMPONENT COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL BASE MEMBER HAVING AN AXIALLY DISPOSED BOLT RECEIVING BORE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, A RADIALLY OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE AT ONE END THEREOF AND AN EXTERNAL CYLINDRICAL BEARING SURFACE ADJACENT TO SAID FLANGE, A FIRST LOCKING MEMBER RETAINING AND GUIDING OPENING EXTENDING FROM SAID BEARING SURFACE TO SAID BORE ADJACENT TO SAID FLANGE, SAID OPENING TERMINATING IN SAID BORE IN A REDUCED DIAMETER PORTION, A FIRST LOCKING MEMBER DISPOSED IN SAID FIRST OPENING AND ADAPTED TO PROJECT INTO SAID BORE SUFFICIENTLY TO ENGAGE SAID FIRST GROOVE ON SAID BOLT, MEANS FOR CAUSING SAID LOCKING MEMBER TO EFFECT LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID GROOVE INCLUDING A RING MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ON SAID BEARING SURFACE ON SAID BASE MEMBER AND HAVING MEANS FOR EFFECTING MOVEMENT OF SAID LOCKING MEMBER INTO LOCKING ENGAGEMENT OR TO BE RELEASED FROM SUCH ENGAGEMENT AND FURTHER HAVING AN END FACE ENGAGING A COMPLEMENTARY FACE OF SAID FLANGE, A SECOND OPENING IN SAID BEARING SURFACE SPACED AXIALLY FROM SAID FIRST OPENING AT THE SAME DISTANCE AS SAID GROOVES IN SAID BOLT ARE SPACED FROM EACH OTHER, A SECOND LOCKING MEMBER IN SAID SECOND OPENING AND A SECOND ROTATABLE RING MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ON SAID BEARING SURFACE AND HAVING SIMILAR MEANS FOR EFFECTING ENGAGEMENT AND RELEASE OF SAID SECOND LOCKING MEMBER WITH SAID SECOND GROOVE AND HAVING AN END FACE ENGAGING THE END FACE OF SAID FIRST RING OPPOSITE THE FACE THEREOF ENGAGING SAID FLANGE, SPRING MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID RINGS AND SAID COLLAR COMPONENT IN ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH SAID FLANGE WITH CAPACITY FOR LIMITED AXIAL MOVEMENT AND COMPRISING A SPRING WASHER MOUNTED ON THE END OF SAID COLLAR COMPONENT AT THE END THEREOF REMOTE FROM SAID FLANGE AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY RADIALLY OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FINGERS TERMINATING IN ENDS DISPLACED TOWARD SAID FLANGE AND ENGAGING THE FACE OF SAID SECOND RING REMOTE FROM SAID FIRST RING WITH RESULTANT CREATION OF CAPACITY FOR LIMITED AXIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID RINGS AGAINST THE BIAS OF SAID SPRING FINGERS, AND RATCHET MEANS OPERATED BY SAID BIAS OF SAID SPRING WASHER FOR DSIPLACEABLY RETAINING SAID RINGS IN PREDETERMINED INCREMENTS OF MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER AND TO SAID FLANGE COMPRISING A FIRST RATCHET MEANS ON THE JUXTAPOSED FACES OF SAID FIRST RING AND SAID FLANGE, A SECOND RATCHET MEANS ON THE JUXTAPOSED FACES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND RINGS, EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND RATCHET MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED DEPRESSIONS FORMED IN ONE OF THE JUXTAPOSED FACES AND AT LEAST ONE PROTUBERANCE ON THE OTHER JUXTAPOSED FACE ENGAGEABLE SELECTIVELY WITH SAID PLURALITY OF DEPRESSIONS ON THE OTHER JUXTAPOSED FACE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SAID SPRING MEANS. 